Silent is the Night
by RisingNight
Summary: A being with out a heart. Alone, without memories in a foreign land. He can feel the strings of fate and yet he cannot see them. In his second chance can he correct his mistake, even though he can't remember what he did wrong? This is a story of the despair and redemption of a man who lived whole and died hollow.


Reading Guide

"Hello" Talking

'Really?' Thinking

**Sonido** Technique

"_NO_" The voices of creation

Disclaimer: I own neither Bleach nor One Piece.

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This is a non-scheduled story. More information is available at the bottom of my profile.

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"To the very end, you just won't do what I want," Ulquiorra said. "And just when I was finally becoming a little bit intrigued with the way you people behaved."

"So let me ask you again girl, are you afraid of me?"

"No I'm not afraid," she responded. "Really, I'm not."

"I understand," he said, and finally he did.

'I see now. In the palm of my hand. . . is a heart.'

* * *

The world was dark. He was falling, he was floating, he was sliding and standing firm.

'This. . . I am amid nothing.'

"_YES, BUT YOU ARE ALSO AMID EVERYTHING. THIS IS THE PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH. WELCOME TO THE CROSSROADS OF FATE, ULQUIORRA_," a gigantic voice sounded. It was loud and yet soft, like a thousand voices singing in harmony.

"_WE WILL OFFER YOU A SECOND CHANCE, A CHANCE TO CHANGE_."

"You will send me back to when I first became a hollow? So that I may live my life differently?"

"_NO_."

"Then where?"

"_TO THE BEGINNING. TO THE TIME WHEN YOU WERE ALIVE. THAT IS WHEN IT STARTED AND THAT IS WHERE IT SHALL BE ENDED. DO YOU WISH TO TAKE THIS OPPURTUNITY_?"

Closing his eyes Ulquiorra thought. "To my birth as a human?"

"_BEFORE THAT. TO THE TIME WHEN ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS WAS BUT A CHILD. YOUR EXITSANCE SAHLL ERASE THAT OF YOUR INITIAL BEING, YOUR HUMAN CONTERPART SHALL NEVER BE BORN_."

"But I shall have the chance to fix my mistakes?"

"_YOU SHALL. EVEN NOW YOU KNOW THAT YOU MADE THEM, THOUGH YOU KNOW NOT WHAT THEY ARE. MEMORIES ARE ERASED WHEN ONE DIES, AND YOU WILL NOT REGAIN YOUR MEMORIES THORUGH REBIRT. BUT. . ._"

"But?"

"_BUT YOU SHALL KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. YOUR HEART SHALL GUIDE YOU, ULQUIORRA. YOU MUST CHOOSE. DO YOU ACCEPT_?"

"Yes, I do."

"_WHY_?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure why myself. But if I'm not able to take even one step forward, I believe that everything I've done until now will go to waste."

Around him the thousands of voices started laughing. "A GOOD REASON. IN YOUR FIRST LIFE YOU SAID SOMETHING SIMILAR. WELL, GOOD LUCK."

And with that the other sensations disappeared leaving only the feeling of falling.

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Opening his eyes Ulquiorra squinted into the sun. He was lying alone on a beach. No not alone, there was someone behind him. Sitting up he turned around. Behind him was a young girl dressed in a simple purple dress.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Robin," she replied.

"I see," he responded. Deep within himself he felt something. 'I knew her when I was alive.' The thought surprised him but at the same time he knew it to be true. "Where am I?"

"You're on the island of Ohara," Robin responded. "Who are _you_?"

"I. . . I'm not certain who I am, but my name is Ulquiorra."

"Ulquiorra," Robin repeated, trying the name herself. "Did you eat a devil fruit?"

"A devil fruit? No, why?"

"Well, you have a hole in your chest," Robin responded, sounding way to casual about it.

Looking down Ulquiorra noticed, that yes, he did indeed have a hole in his chest. Evaluating himself for the first time since his death, or rebirth, he noticed that his body was the same. His fragmented mas was missing but otherwise he looked exactly as he had when he served Aizen, robe and all.

"That. . . is my heart."

"Your heart?" Robin asked.

"I don't have one. But, perhaps, one day I shall."

"You're interesting."

Nodding slightly Ulquiorra laid back down and stared up into the blue sky. 'A blue sky, it seems so familiar and yet so foreign.'

"Do you have a home?" Robin questioned.

"Not anymore. I had a home but it is far away from here in a land where the sun never shines."

"Had?"

"It is no longer my home. I have moved on. The word home holds no meaning for me. Now all I seek is a purpose."

"You seem sad."

"Perhaps I am."

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For the next few days Robin would visit him every day, and every day he was in the same place. He seemed to have no need for food nor water. He sat on the beach day and night thinking thoughts that only he knew. The peaceful cycle was interrupted abruptly one day.

Ships appeared on the horizon and descended on the island. Fires raged and cannons fired. People died and yet Ulquiorra never moved from his place. The end was near when he stood and used **sonido**. Flashing though the burning forests of the island he landed next to Robin. She was siting on the crisp grass looking up at the tree that dominated the islands landscape.

Inside the tree her mentors were attempting to save all of the books that they could.

"Come," he ordered. Robin looked up at him with tear filled eyes. He leaned down and extended a single pale white hand to her. "I shall take you from this place. This outcome was unavoidable. I could have fought them, and maybe even won, but if I had. . ."

"They would have come back," Robin managed to choke out.

"Yes, and the next time I might not have enough energy to save you. Let us go." Slowly reaching up, Robin took his had. The second she did her reality blurred out of existence as the pair zoomed across the open sea.

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(A/N: This fic is something I thought of long ago. I never made it because I have no idea where to take if from here. That said, if you have any ideas please PM me. I'm writing this story as much for the readers as for myself. Thanks and please leave thoughts and or ideas in the reviews.)


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